Nepal is grappling with political upheaval following widespread protests led by young people demanding government accountability and an end to corruption. The demonstrations, which peaked in September 2025, resulted in clashes with police, multiple deaths, and significant damage to government buildings, culminating in the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on September 9, 2025.
The unrest began when 22-year-old Mukesh Awasthi, a student preparing to study engineering in Australia, chose to join a demonstration outside Parliament on September 8, 2025, instead of heading directly to work. He was among thousands of young people – Generation Z – voicing their frustrations with the country’s political elite.
“I stood here, right at the front.”
Mukesh Awasthi
The situation quickly escalated as protesters clashed with police. Awasthi attempted to retreat but was struck by a bullet. Initially, he didn’t realize the severity of the injury, believing he’d been hit by a rubber bullet. However, he soon discovered the left leg was severely wounded, the result of live ammunition.
“I thought I had been hit by a rubber bullet,” Awasthi said. “Then I looked down. My left leg was full of blood and torn apart.”
Doctors were unable to save his leg, and it had to be amputated. More than 70 people died during the 48 hours of unrest, making Awasthi sense fortunate to have survived. “I am lucky compared to them. I survived. Those poor people died and became martyrs,” he said.
The protests were fueled by anger over perceived corruption and nepotism within the government, with social media playing a key role in exposing the lavish lifestyles of the children of political elites through the hashtag #Nepobaby. The government’s subsequent shutdown of popular social media platforms further inflamed tensions.
Parliament Set Ablaze
The unrest reached a peak on September 9, 2025, when protesters stormed government buildings, setting Parliament and several ministries ablaze. Prime Minister Oli was evacuated by helicopter and subsequently resigned.
Political activist Pema Lama, a member of the Tibetan minority in Nepal, was as well present during the protests. She and other activists are now demanding a more transparent and accountable government, with a focus on digital solutions.
Pema Lama (in the middle) discusses what demands they will make.
Foto: Fang Yongbin / NRK
With over half of Nepal’s 30 million citizens under the age of 30, emigration for work is a significant issue. Remittances from Nepalese workers abroad are a crucial part of the country’s economy.
Ashika Tamang, a candidate for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a new anti-corruption party, is campaigning in a rural village. The RSP gained prominence after its leader, rapper Balen Shah, was elected mayor of Kathmandu in 2022 and subsequently joined the party. The party is now poised to potentially win a majority in the new parliament.
Twenty-year-old Sushmita Tuladhar, who plans to work as a barista in Dubai, reflects the aspirations of many young Nepalis: “I seek the opportunity to work here at home. And that no one should be forced to find work in another country.”
Mukesh Awasthi is now undergoing rehabilitation and learning to walk with a prosthetic leg. Despite the challenges, he remains hopeful about the future and is determined to complete his engineering studies in Australia. “I am very happy with who won. Now it will be easier for Gen Z to acquire their demands through,” he said, while acknowledging that corruption remains a problem and true justice has yet to be achieved.
